Artillery gun more particularly applicable for firing against aircraft



June 30, 1.931. I N, E, METHLlN 1,812,800

ARTILLERY GUN MORE PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE FOR FIRING AGAINST AIRCRAFT Filed April 2l, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 3o, 1931. N. E'. METHLIN 1,812,800

ARTILLERY GUN MORE PARTICULARLY APL'CABLE FOR'FIRING AGAINST AIRCRAFT Filed April 21, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /IVVENTOR Arron/vang Patented June 30, 1931 UNIT!) STATES PATENT o1-"FICE NICoLAs EMILIRN MRTHLIN, oF FARIs, FRANCE, AssrGNoR To SCHNEIDER a yCin., oF PARIS, FRANCE, A LIMITED JOINmssroCRfcoMFANY 'oF FRANCE ARTILLERY GUN MORE PARTICULARLY-APPLICABLE FOR FIRING AGAIST I AIRCRAFT Application filed April 21, 1930, Serial No.

This invention relates to improvements in or modifications of the invention claimed in prior U. S.V Letters Patent No. 1,672,949.

The object of the present invention is to provide a practical form, of construction of the anti-aircraft gun described and illustrated in the said prior specification.

This form of construction is shown in detail in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal elevation with a part in section.

Figure 2 is a corresponding plan view with a part in section.

Figure 3 is a side elevation viewed from the muzzle end of the gun.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal elevation similar to that shown in Figure l, the barrel being shown elevated for liring in the direction of the zenith.

As in the gun according to the said prior specification the cradle B, in which the barrel A recoils, is journalled at its rear end b in bearings d, Z1 carried by a platform D which is movable about a pivot D1', the oscillating mass being wholly supported on account of the fact that the cradle is coupled near the centre of gravity of the mass to a spring balancing device acting through a transmission and exerting its effort at a fixed point taken on a support situated substantially in the vertical plane passing through the axis of pivotal movement of the cradle, this point being chosen in such a way that for any angle of inclination of the oscillating mass a practical requilibrium will be ensured.

The particular form of construction illus-4 trated is characterized by the judicious distribution of the attachment of the cable connecting the cradle, the fixed points situated in the vertical plane passing over the axis of pivotal movement of the said cradle, at the Sametime as the balancing elements are decomposed, in such a way that the fixed and movable masses will be symmetrically distributed with respect to the axial vertical longitudinal plane of the barrel.

As shown in the drawings, two points of attachment B1 are distributed symmetrically on the cradle B on one side and the other 446,132, and in vFrance Fcbruary'll, 1930.

Vof the axial verticaflplane of 'the barrel and of. the cradle.y Two cables K4, are providedy which are attached respectively to the points B1. yThese cables `each v.pass overa guide pulley I3 vcarried by a corresponding elevating sector D5 rigid with the top carriage D. The 'elevating sectors, D5 are arranged symmetrically on leither side of the oscillating mass. rIhe cables K4 guided over the corresponding pulleys I3 'are eachattached to a pulley K3 at a poin't 7c3 (Figures l and 4), these rpulleys being carried by 'a shaft k2 journal'led in the top 'carriage D. 'i v i Still for the same purpose of obtaining a luniformdistribution of the masses on either side of the axial vertical plane of the oscillating mass, the material comprises in the new formjof construction 'two balancing-elelmentsI, J,K, arranged symmetrically with E respect to this plane, each of these balancing elements being formed like the single balancer Vin the examples shown in the main specification, by a cylinder I which in this case is preferably arranged horizontally and forms a projection on the top carriageD, 'and in which moves a piston K. A spring J bears at one end onfthe piston K and at the other end on a shoulder formed in the cylinder I.

To the piston K is attached 'at k1 the cable K1 winding over a winch drum K2 the shaft vof which is formed by an extension `of the shaft carrying the corresponding pulley K3. An elevating mechanism ofany known type per; mits the transmission such as two pinions B2 journalled on a shaft carried by the cradle 59 be travelledsover the fixed elevation sectors i Y l1. In an artillery piece, a platform rotatL ableabout 'a vertical axis, a cradle pivotedat one. end to said platform to oscillateabout a horizontal axis, a gun'carried by said cradle,

2. In an artillery piece, a platform rotatable about a vertical axis, a cradle pivoted at one end to said platform to oscillate about a horizontal axis, a gun carried by said cradle, means including a pair of elevating sectors rigid with said platform for elevating said gun, counterbalancing means carried by said platform, and cable means for operatively connecting said counterbalancing means with said cradle, said elevating Counterbalancing and connecting means being symmetrically distributed- With respect to a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis of said gun. Y

3. In an artillery piece, a platform rotatable about a vertical axis, a cradle pivoted at one end to said platform to oscillate' about a horizontal axis, a gun'carried by said` cradle, means including apair of elevating sectors rigid With said platform for elevating said gun, counterbalancing means carried by said platform including a pair of cylinders, a piston. Within each of said cylinders and resilient means interposed between each cylinder and piston, and means operatively connecting said pistons and said cradle including cables and cable guiding means, the latter being secured to said elevating sectors, said elevating, counterbalancing and connecting means being symmetrically distributed With respect to a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis of said gun.

4E. In an artillery piece of the type having a gun carried in a cradle, the latter being pivotally mounted on a rotatable platform for oscillation about a horizontal axis, means for obtaining a static equilibrium of said piece by a symmetrical distribution of the masses on either side of the vertical axial plane of the oscillating mass comprising a pair of elevating sectors rigid with said platform and arranged symmetrically with respect to a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis of said gun, cable guiding means secured to each of said sectors, a shaft jonrnalled in said platform, a pair of cable reeling devices mounted on said shaft, a pair of cables each secured at one end to said cradle, passing over said cable guiding means and secured at the other` end to one of said cable reeling devices, a second pair of cable reeling devices secured Vto said shaft, a pair of balancing elements carried by saidrplat-V form, and a second pair of ycables connecting said balancing elements with said second mentioned cable reeling devices.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

NiooLAs EMILIEN METHLIN. 

